FERRARI 458 ITALIA SPIDER

Specifications

The Ferrari 458 Spider is a car for those as interested in being seen driving the latest Ferrari as actually driving it. Or to put it more charitably, one for those who want an ever richer, noisier and more evocative everyday driving experience than the already rich, noisy and evocative Ferrari 458 Italia can provide.

When you look at the cockpit from the outside, you wonder if you’re going to get the full roofless experience. This is partly due to the buttresses behind the seats that not only contain part of the hinging mechanism for the roof but also double as static rollover bars. It’s a clever design because it means you don’t have to have pop-up rollover bars and the extra weight that comes with such a system, but it does leave the 458 Spider looking almost like a targa-roofed machine.

As you’d expect, the fundamentals of this car are very similar to the coupe. The steering is surprisingly incisive and quick; the car responds straight away to an input from the wheel, with very little roll, which is a consequence of the stiff springs and anti-roll bar. It is incredibly obedient and changes direction like a darting fish through a coral reef. On a B-road you do have to maintain alertness because camber changes will slightly redirect the car, so you have to counter those. It’s not a problem, because you buy a car like this to challenge you and it is one aspect of the enjoyment of driving it.